SAINT PAUL, MN – Monday night, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the Omnibus Health and Human Services Finance Bill 70 to 64. The legislation reduces the HHS budget by $150 million during the next two years through targeted cuts, reforms, and re-prioritization, while making new investments in mental health services, funding for nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and other vital health care and public health programs.
“We were given a very difficult negative budget target, however our goal remained to protect our most vulnerable and ensure the highest quality of life for Minnesotans,” said Rep. Kim Norton (DFL—Rochester), Health and Human Services Finance vice chair. “New resources for nursing homes and long-term care facilities, school linked mental health grants, homeless youth services, child care assistance for struggling families, and support for families who have children with autism will help us live up to our promise.”
The omnibus bill also includes several of Rep. Norton’s bills:
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A provision (HF 176), which expands dental care services for disabled Medical Assistance enrollees. Under this new provision, vulnerable Minnesotans would be able to receive the dental care they need, at the place they live, in the most suitable and dignified manner available.
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The omnibus bill also includes a $170,000 grant (HF 1064) for developing a strategic plan to ensure effective interaction between Somali culture and western medicine service delivery and achieve better health outcomes for Somali women.|
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The Region Ten Quality Commission was created in 1998 to conduct alternative licensing and quality assurance assessments for services provided to developmentally disabled adults in southeastern Minnesota. Rep. Norton’s provision (HF 1157) allows all programs for persons with disabilities and older adults to be included under the Quality Assurance System.
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In 2007, the Federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid informed Minnesota that the state’s disability waivers and current system of county rate setting violated federal law. The provision (HF 1448) creates a statewide rate-setting methodology for disability waiver services that is transparent, fair and consistent.
The bill also provides a three percent cost-of-living increase for nursing home providers and a two percent cost-of-living increase for long-term care providers, as well as funds cost-preventing mental health initiatives for children and adults, helps low-income families and children and improves Minnesota’s public health and health care programs.
“I am concerned by the hospital surcharges included in the legislation,” said Rep. Norton. “The surcharge was included to capture additional federal revenues; however it unfairly punishes hospitals such as Mayo Clinic, which has a high percentage non-resident patients. Mayo Clinic’s percentage of Medical Assistance patients is lower than other state hospitals.”
The House HHS bill achieves cost savings in several ways. It finds $66 million through managed care payment reforms. It makes roughly $93 million in targeted reductions to existing programs and reforms of services in areas like dental and prescription drugs.
The bill can be read online.
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